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Journalism

The graduate program in Mass Communication presupposes strong undergraduate preparation or equivalent professional experience in the mass media. The Master's program calls for more intensive study, allows for development of individual professional skills and interests, focuses on evaluation of media performance and uses analytic and research techniques culminating in a thesis, graduate project or comprehensive written examination.

Requirements for admission to classified graduate status in the program:

A 3.0 (B) GPA in all undergraduate courses and an above average score on the verbal portion of the GRE. Applicants with significant professional journalism experience may, with substantial justification, seek to waive this requirement.

Course Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree (30 Units)

Required Seminars (18 Units)

MC 600 Seminar in Research Methods (3)

MC 620 Seminar in Media Criticism (3)

MC 630 Seminar in Analysis of Media Performance (3)

MC 690 Research Practicum (3)

JOUR 400 Mass Communication Law & Ethics (3)

JOUR 585 Theory of Mass Communication (3)

Electives (3-12 units):

JOUR 465 Mass Communication and Popular Culture (3)

JOUR 478 International News Media (3)

JOUR 480 History of the America News Media (3)

MC 610 Seminar in Specialized Reporting (3)

MC 693 A-Z Selected Topics (3)

MC 694 Media Internship (1-6)

MC 699C Independent Study (1-6)

Courses at the 400, 500 or 600 level in journalism or other departments not used to satisfy the requirements above and with prior approval of the graduate program adviser.

MC698 Thesis or Graduate Project (1-6 units) Projects may include photography, video or audio tape documentaries of significance, or publishable works, such as an investigative or an in-depth article. A research thesis may probe historical, legal, social or practical questions through original investigation.

OR

MC697 Comprehensive Written Exam (0 units of credit) Written and oral examination in the major field (Mass Communication) and two specified fields selected with the approval of the graduate committee. One of those specialized fields may be outside the Department of Journalism.